30 Minute Bible Studies blog

The Call to Discipleship

In Mark 1:16-20 we learn how Jesus called four of his disciples. Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew were fishing by the Sea of Galillee when Jesus walked beside the shore. Mark’s account of what happened next is brief. Jesus said “Come follow me, and I’ll make you fishers of men.” The brothers immediately left their fishing nets behind to follow Jesus.

Jesus then walked further along the road with Simon (Peter) and Andrew and he spotted James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat. The brothers were working with their father and the workers preparing nets for a fishing trip. Jesus called the brothers to follow him. James and John left their father and the workers in the boat to follow Jesus.

It is believed that the disciples knew about Jesus because of their previous connection to John the Baptist.

Jesus called ordinary men to leave their work, families and livelihood to follow him. According to Mark’s account, there was no time for the men to say ‘I’ll think about it’ or ‘I’ll get back to you.’ No time to farewell family, pack up their fishing gear or finish their day’s work out on the boat.

The call to discipleship was a radical decision that demanded their dedication and total commitment to following Jesus. A commitment to become ‘fishers of men’ who would catch people for God’s kingdom. A radical decision that I wonder how we would respond to if Jesus turned up at our workplace and called us to leave everything to follow him?